page_title: Watford and Rickmansworth Railway
section_title: Extension to Croxley Green
hierarchical_section_title: Watford and Rickmansworth Railway / Extension to Croxley Green
caption_attribution_description: English: Entrance to Croxley Green station, 1984. View eastward, towards Watford Junction: terminus of the ex-London &amp; North Western electrified branch from Watford Junction/Bushey &amp; Oxhey to Rickmansworth (Church St.), already closed since 2/1/67 (passengers 3/3/52), the service to Croxley Green was reduced on 17/5/93 to one train per day and completely from 27/3/96. A remarkably protracted end (!)
context_page_description: The Watford and Rickmansworth Railway ran services between Watford and Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire, England. The company was incorporated in 1860; the line opened in 1862. The Rickmansworth branch was closed in 1952, and the remaining line was gradually run down and eventually closed in 1996.
context_section_description: In the early 20th century, suburban railway competition was on the increase and the growing Metropolitan Railway was steadily expanding in north-west London. Although the Metropolitan did not reach the town of Watford until 1925, the LNWR was keen to act against emerging competition and in 1908 began work on a new branch line to Croxley Green. The extension involved the construction of a substantial bridge over the Grand Junction Canal. Passenger services on the new route commenced on 15 June 1912, with freight services starting on 1 October.
  The following year, the LNWR built a new stretch of track from Watford High Street over the River Colne to Bushey & Oxhey railway station, with another connecting line turning south towards Rickmansworth. This new, triangular junction not only created a connection between the former W&RR lines and the LNWR's "New Line", but also enabled passenger services to run directly from Croxley Green to London Euston for the first time. The semi-rural location of the Croxley Green terminus gave added credence to the LNWR's slogan "Live in the Country".
  In March 1913, Croxley Green station was burned down; it was suspected that the fire had been started deliberately by suffragettes.
caption: Croxley Green terminus, photographed in 1984
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